The truth in small doses : why we're losing the war on cancer--and how to win it

**A provocative, eye-opening history of the war on cancer, __The Truth in Small Doses__ asks why we are losing this essential fight and charts a path forward.** OVER THE PAST HALF CENTURY, deaths from heart disease, stroke, and so many other killers have fallen dramatically. But cancer continues to kill with abandon. In 2014, despite a four-decade "war" against the disease that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars, more than 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and nearly six hundred thousand will die from it. A decade ago, Clifton Leaf, a celebrated journalist and a cancer survivor himself, began to investigate why we had made such limited progress fighting this terrifying disease. The result is a gripping narrative that reveals why the public's immense investment in research has been badly misspent, why scientists seldom collaborate and share their data, why new drugs are so expensive yet routinely fail, and why our best hope for progress--brilliant young scientists-- are now abandoning the search for a cure. __The Truth in Small Doses__ is that rare tale that will both outrage readers and inspire conversation and change. A "brilliant" ( Fortune ), eye-opening history of the war on cancer, The Truth in Small Doses asks why we are losing this essential fight and charts a path forward. Over the past half century, deaths from heart disease, stroke, and so many other killers have fallen dramatically. But cancer continues to kill with abandon. In 2013, despite a four-decade "war" against the disease that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars, more than 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and nearly six hundred thousand will die from it. A decade ago, Clifton Leaf, a celebrated journalist and a cancer survivor himself, began to investigate why we had made such limited progress fighting this terrifying disease. The result is a gripping narrative that reveals why the public's immense investment in research has been badly misspent, why scientists seldom collaborate and share their data, why new drugs are so expensive yet routinely fail, and why our best hope for progress—brilliant young scientists—are now abandoning the search for a cure. "Through flowing prose Leaf delivers, alongside facts and data, stories on personalities involved in research, the fascinating process of solving an unusual and highly deadly cancer in Africa, and the heartbreaking realities of cancer treatment in children today. Leaf's extensively investigated treatise will resonate with researchers and patients frustrated by the bureaucratic woes he delineates. Public policy makers, grant reviewers, and pharmaceutical researchers alike must consider Leaf's indictment and proposed solutions" ( Publishers Weekly ). The Truth in Small Doses is that rare tale that will both outrage readers and inspire conversation and change.

In a provocative, eye-opening, and ultimately inspiring history of the war on cancer, a celebrated expert asks why we are losing the battle and how to find victory.

Over the past half-century, deaths from heart disease, stroke, and so many other killers have fallen dramatically. But cancer continues to kill with abandon. In 2013, despite a four-decade “war” against the disease that has cost hundreds of billions of dollars, more than 1.6 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer and nearly 600,000 will die from it.

In an acclaimed investigative article for Fortune magazine in 2004, Clifton Leaf, then the magazine’s executive editor and a cancer survivor himself, asked why we had made such limited progress fighting this terrifying disease. The answer turned out to be shocking. As Leaf discovered, the failure was largely due to what he calls a dysfunctional “cancer culture”—“a groupthink that pushes tens of thousands of physicians and scientists toward the goal of finding the tiniest improvements in treatment rather than genuine breakthroughs; that fosters isolated (and redundant) problem solving instead of cooperation; and rewards academic achievement and publication over all else.”

Nine years in the making, this gripping narrative reveals why the public’s immense investment in research has been badly misspent, why scientists seldom collaborate and share their data, why new drugs are so expensive yet routinely fail, and why our best hope for progress—brilliant young scientists—are now abandoning the search for a cure. The Truth in Small Doses is that rare tale that will both outrage readers and inspire conversation and change.

A Decade Ago Leaf, A Cancer Survivor Himself, Began To Investigate Why We Had Made Such Limited Progress Fighting This Terrifying Disease. The Result Is A Gripping Narrative That Reveals Why The Public's Immense Investment In Research Has Been Badly Misspent, Why Scientists Seldom Collaborate And Share Their Data, Why New Drugs Are So Expensive Yet Routinely Fail, And Why Our Best Hope For Progress-- Brilliant Young Scientists-- Are Now Abandoning The Search For A Cure. How Did We Get Here? -- The Burden. Counting ; The Truth In Small Doses ; A War Of Attrition ; The Soldier -- The Myth Of The Magic Bullet. The Little Orange Pill ; Missing The Target ; Preemption -- The Cancer Culture. The Wrong Bill ; The Door Question ; Publish And Perish ; Deadly Caution ; Zero To Ninety ; Fossils ; The One-eyed Surgeon -- The Way Forward. Matterhorn. Clifton Leaf. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 311-480) And Index. Counting The truth in small doses A war of attrition The soldier The little orange pill Missing the target Preemption The wrong bill The door question Publish and perish Deadly caution Reversal of fortune Fossils The one-eyed surgeon Matterhorn.